Horseshoe-calk.



UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

BURT MCKENZIE, OF SAGINAWV, MICHIGAN.

HQRSESHOE-CALK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 724,489, dated April 7, 1903. Application filed May 9, 1902. Serial No. 106,594. (No model.)

To In whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, BURT MCKENZIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horseshoe- Oalks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to horseshoes in general, and more particularly to the calks thereof; and it has for its object to provide a construction wherein the calks will be removable, and which calks when in place will be held securelyagainst displacement.

In the drawingsforming a portion of this specification,and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure l is a perspective view showing a calk embodying the present inventiorn Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the calk. Fig. 3

- is a section through a horseshoe and a calk engaged therewith. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a second form of calk. Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the modified form of calk and through the shoe with which it is engaged. Fig. 6 is a section at right angles to Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a calk including a semicylindrical body portion 5, the lower end of which is beveled on its inner face to form a sharp cutting edge 7, the cylindrical body portion being hollow, as shown, and having a transverse web 8, closing its upper end and forming a shoulder, which prevents the calk from cutting too far through the ice.

The stem 6 of the calk is tapered from its base to its top at all points, excepting at its front and rear sides. This shape is secured by forming the base of the stem elliptical, with its major axis parallel with the flat face of the web of the body, and by forming the upper end of the stem elliptical,with itsminor axis parallel with and the same as the minor axis of the lower ellipse, the major axis of the upper ellipse being shorter than the major axis of the lower ellipse. The curvature of the base of the stem touches the curvature of the upper end of the body of the calk. At the rear side of the stem 6, or adjacent to the flat face of the web of the body, is formed a frusto-conical rib 9, the curvature of the base of which touches the plane of the flat side of the body 5 and intersects the curvature of the stem proper, the rib extending throughout the length of the stem.

The horseshoe 10 is provided with openings therein which correspond to the crosssections of the stem of the calk and its rib, and are tapered so that the'stems of the calks may be driven and wedged thereinto. As the stem and its ribs are tapered differently, they are subjected to specifically difierent strains when theshoe is in use and loosening of the calk is thereby prevented.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 of the drawings there is shown a second form of the invention in which the semicircular body portion 15 has a stem 16, the upper portion of which is cylindrical, while the lower portion is tapered in the direction of the upper end of the stem, and in the cylindrical portion of the stem is a transverse slot 17. Upon the tapered portion of the stem is a rib 18, having the same general shape as rib 9, above referred to, the rib 18 reaching to the lower end of the cylindrical portion of the stem.

The horseshoe 19 in the present instance has an opening 20, the upper portion of which is cylindrical, while the lower portion is tapered upwardly to correspond with the stem of the calk, and in the rear side of the tapered portion of the opening is a slot 21 to receivethe rib of the calk-stem. In the oppositeside faces of the opening and extending over the under side of the shoeupwardly to a point near to the top of the shoe are slots or recesses 22 and 23, which are spaced in an angular distance of ninety degrees from the slot 21.

A wedge 24 is disposed in the slot of the stem of the calk and projects with its ends beyond the side faces of the stem, and when the stem of the calk is engaged with the opening in the shoe the ends of this key or wedge stem and the wall of the opening of the shoe snifieient to prevent the calk from dropping from place.

What is claimed is- The combination with a horseshoe having an opening therein the lower portion of which is tapered upwardly and having slots in the walls of the opening and extending upwardly from the under side of the shoe, of a call; comprising a body portion and a stem portion formed to fit the opening, the lower portion of the stem having a rib to engage one of the slots in the wall of the opening and having a transverse slot in its free end, and a wedge disposed in the transverse slot of the stem and projecting beyond the side faces of the latter to engage the remaining slots in the walls of the opening of the shoe and to contact with the upper ends of said slots to expand the stem when the stem is engaged with the opening.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BURT MGKENZIF Witnesses:

E. B. MOKINSTRY, G. E. NIOKLISSON, 

